


Black Bear Cloak and Red Lion Mantle

by ThaliaofCarim



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cullen on Earth, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, OC is a kind hearted person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-03-17 16:06:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18968635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThaliaofCarim/pseuds/ThaliaofCarim
Summary: Serena is a woman with no family to speak of, at least not anymore. Living by herself in the mountain cabin her grandmother left to her, she rarely if ever sees anyone unless she heads to the town some two hundred miles away which is a once monthly thing for her to do. Unable to stand people, she prefers to explore her mountain home while cloaked in her warm fur outfit and her black bear fur cloak especially when the snow is falling. Then when she is out walking around on a freezing snowy night, she comes across a man wearing armor with a sword at his side and a shield on his back.Cullen didn't mean to get lost, he had only meant to chase the demon a short while and slay it. What he wasn't expecting was to be blindsided by a sudden snowstorm. Cursing his luck, Cullen knows he's hopelessly lost but when a woman wearing a cloak made of blackest fur comes to offer him a place to rest and food to fill his stomach, he finds it impossible to say no. But when he discovers that he's no longer on Thedas, he can't help but wonder just what he got himself into by chasing after that demon.Serena and Cullen. Two lost souls from two very different worlds. Both in need of the other without realizing it.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I know ANOTHER Cullen on Earth story from me but seeing as how my (second) other one had it's muse abandon it. I'm trying again with this one. Hopefully the muse (Serena) will stick around long enough for me to make this more then ten chapters (*crosses fingers*)

Fat and fluffy flakes of snow fell lightly around the figure as it walked calmly through the moonless forest. Winter had only begun a week ago with the first snowfall coming in a month early but that bothered the person little as they preferred it this way, they preferred the snow, the cold, because it meant that the person could wear the outfit they were now without being looked at like they were insane. Stopping as they heard a noise from nearby, the person looked to their right and through the branches of the sleeping and barren trees, and just then the moon decided to peek through the clouds and the person saw what looked to be like a man in a strange outfit that was a mixture of armor, leather and a cape with brown fur with red highlights through it. Frowning the person turned fully to see the man looking around and heard him cursing as he tried to (what they guessed to be) gathering his bearings on just where he was. Studying him for a moment, the person wondered who he was until they saw the bracers on his arms and the symbol upon those and the shield on his back. Staying silent, the person watched him for a moment longer before decidedly stepping on a branch on purpose and watched as he whirled around, his hands flying to the hilt of the blade and preparing to remove the shield from his back as his eyes, as golden as the honey whiskey the person had back in their home, searched for the reason behind the snapping sound that had echoed only moments ago and the person watching him felt a shiver run down their spine as he called out. "Whose there?" 

The person stepped out of the shadows and watched as he tightened his grip on the sword's hilt, "A friend if you will have her." The person responded as she stopped just outside of the moon's pale light. 

The man studied the person before him before speaking, ”If you as you say you are, then why stop outside of the light?” 

”I am a sensible person,” She responded with careful words. ”You still hold the hilt of your weapon in a tight grip, swordsman,” She pointed out as he realized that she was right. ”I dare not draw any closer least you draw that sword, that and I do not yet have your word that no harm will come to my person.” 

She had a point and he knew it. Relaxing his stance, he pulled his hand away from the hilt of his sword but kept his gaze focused on the person before him. ”Come forward,” he urged as she watched him, ”I will not harm you unless you give me a reason to.” 

He watched the person hesitate for a moment before slowly stepping into the pale light and his breath caught as he watched the person, revealed now to actually be a woman, removed the hood of her cloak. Short black hair with natural blue highlights, was revealed to be brushed mostly off to the left side of her head. Her skin was as pale as the snow itself, with her lips just barely being a peachy color. But it was the color of her eyes that had caused his breath to catch as he watched them lighten from a dark sapphire to a lighter blue that was not yet a sky blue but near to it. ”My name is Serena, who are you?” she inquired as he mentally shook himself. 

”Cullen,” he responded swiftly, ”Cullen Rutherford.” He found himself struggling to look away from her face and watched as the barest hint of a smile tugged at her lips. They were not ”full” by the stands of anyone who had more money then they knew what to do with, yet they were not thin either, to him it was more like they were somewhere in between the two and he felt a shiver run along his spine as his mind suddenly turned to wanting to kiss her to see if her lips were as soft as he was imagining them to be. 

”Might I inquire as of to why you are out here on this unforgiving cold night?” Serena asked as he frowned. 

”I’m afraid that I was chasing a creature,” He didn’t dare say what he was actually chasing for fear it would scare this woman away. ”When I was blindsided by a sudden snowstorm and now, I fear, that I may be a little...lost.” He admitted sheepishly as he went to rub the back of his neck. 

Serena smiled softly than before looking skyward, ”Another storm is approaching, unfortunately,” Cullen groaned at that as she smiled at him once more, ”Come with me. My home is not far and I can swiftly make something to eat.” 

Cullen internally debated with himself for a moment, ”I wouldn't want to be a bother to you or your husband.” At that, she laughed and he found that he rather enjoyed the sound of her laugh. 

”I am not married, and it would be no bother to me at all,” she told him as he watched her in surprised.

”You’re not married...” Suddenly Cullen found himself wondering what a woman (who was surely no taller than his shoulder) like her was doing out alone in the forest in the middle of the night and also felt his more protective side suddenly rise as he swallowed.

”I am not, but, come, we can speak more inside where it is warmer and you have had a chance to relax for a bit.” Serena watched as he nodded in agreement and motioned for him to follow her. ”Follow me please,” She told him as he hurried to catch up to her. ”Oh, before I completely forget, I must warn you that wherever you believe yourself to be, that is not the case. Once we are in my home, I will explain more about what I mean.” As they walked, Cullen wondered just why Serena was being so kind to a total stranger like him (and what she meant by her strangely cryptic words) but then they came to her home and he saw what he could only properly assume to be a cabin and noted just how large it was compared to most cabins he was used to seeing. The moment they walked up onto what was a porch he noted that it seemingly continued on to the side of the cabin and likely onto the back. As he stood staring around him, he missed the fact that Serena had opened the door and was preparing to enter after turning on the lights. ”Cullen?” 

”Hmn? What? Oh!” He remembered where he was and swiftly made it inside the house to be met with one of the most unusual sights around while she closed the door and locked it. ”Where in the Maker’s...?!” He began as Serena passed by him. 

”Let me explain,” She started as she swiftly informed him that he was, in fact, no longer in the world where he hailed from but in hers. She watched as he took several moments to allow what she spoke of to sink in and watched as his golden eyes grew wide. ”Grab my arms,” She told him swiftly as he did so. She felt him squeeze her lower arms hard and watched as he slowly came out of his sudden panic as his subconscious realized that she was an actual person before his conscious realized the same and suddenly he pulled away with an apology on his lips. ”Don’t apologize for that. I let you do that so you could come out of the panicked state you were in both subconsciously and consciously.” 

”I...” He stopped himself as he realized that what she had done had actually helped. ”Thank you for that then...” He watched her smile briefly. ”How did you know I was...?” 

”I have panic attacks as well. Doing what I did for you was a trick my grandmother used to use on me to help me ground myself in reality.” 

”A wise woman.”

Serena smiled sadly then, ”Indeed. I miss her greatly.” 

Suddenly Cullen felt bad and rubbed the back of his neck again. ”I’m sorry... I didn't mean to bring up her memory...” 

”It’s fine. She wouldn’t want me to linger in grief for her.” Serena turned and unclasped her cloak to hang it up before she began to remove her gloves. ”Please, feel free to place your weapon and shield near the couch and take a seat. I will get started on dinner and then I will answer any questions you have to the best of my ability,” She told him as she walked towards what he assumed to be the kitchen. Deciding that she was likely his best bet to getting answers to what happened to him, Cullen removed his sword from his belt and placed both it and his shield down next to the couch as she had suggested before sitting down near them to see that she had yet to start a fire. Soon enough she reappeared into the area and flashed him a brief smile before walking over to the fireplace to put some logs into it, as well as some kindling and he watched as she attempted to start a fire. 

He watched (and heard her curse) as she attempted to light the fire before removing himself from his seat, ”May I?” he offered as he knelt down next to her and she handed the items over to him before she moved away to allow him to light the fire, which he did with ease. Turning to her, Cullen watched her throw her hands up into the air before she huffed out something under her breath and couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him as she took the items from him to place them where they belonged. 

”Now that it will start to actually warm up in here, what questions do you have for me?” She inquired as he thought it over for a moment before asking the first of his questions.

”Earlier you told me something about not being where I believed myself to be, and while that is true, how did you know?” 

Serena sighed at that moment, ”At least your getting the hardest question out of the way first,” She shook her head before she went over to one of her four bookshelves and began searching for something. ”Before I can really answer that question in earnest I need you to know that your world, that Thedas, to those of this one, is fictional. To us, Thedas isn’t a real place. Just a made-up world with made-up people.” She started as she found what she was looking for and removed two books from their shelf. Turning back to him she walked over and handed the books to him and he was amazed at what he saw written for the titles. 

”The world of Thedas volume one,” He lifted the first book and both his brows shot skyward, ”And two?” 

”Those aren’t the only things I have, the shelf I pulled them off of is filled with stories set in Thedas, but these,” She walked over to another bookshelf and pulled off three small box-like items from their places, ”are what started the whole thing in this world knowing yours as fictional.” She held out the boxes and he looked them over after taking them carefully from her. 

”Dragon Age Origins. Dragon Age two and...” He trailed off as he came to the last one. ”Dragon Age Inquisition?” He felt his heart come to a stop as he looked up at Serena who nodded as she leaned back against the fireplace where she had retreated. He looked from the boxes to the two books and frowned as he slowly collected his thoughts. ”But...”

”Thedas is real, I know that. The fact that you are here is all the proof I need. Commander Cullen Rutherford, Military advisor of the Inquisition, ex-Templar, sole survivor of the horrors of the blood mages of Kinloch Hold’s Circle of Magi during the fifth Blight, and brother to two sisters and one younger brother, all of who live in South Reach in Ferelden.” She watched as his head snapped up and his eyes went wide as she stated all that. 

”How...?” 

”The boxes you hold in your hands and the books. The boxes you hold are called video game boxes within the boxes are round disks we of this world call CDs. On those CDs are the games that tell the story of the games set in Thedas.” 

”So you know everything?” 

”Not everything,” Serena shook her head. ”Only select things. The CDs don’t have a whole lot of room on them to be able to tell the full story of each part of what happens. Just a...rough summery if you will. The books go into a bit more detail but not enough for me to really paint the whole picture in my head. Just help to make what I already have, bigger.” Serena rested her head against the mantle of the fireplace and closed her eyes for a moment and for a brief moment he worried that she was ill. ”I’m fine. Just weary is all.” 

”How did you...?” 

Serena opened her eyes and smiled, ”I’m used to people keeping an eye on me. I was badly ill as a little girl so I grew used to the looks people gave me when I would show signs of weariness.” 

Cullen frowned then, ”You were ill as a child?” 

”My mother did some bad things while she was pregnant with me. After I was born it was discovered that some of those things she had done had some pretty bad effects on me. One of those consequences was the fact that I had trouble breathing. Another was the sudden onset of panic attacks.” Cullen felt sad for her now. ”My grandmother, being the only responsible family I had at the time, forced my mother to surrender me to her care and once she had me, we moved out to this cabin and here I’ve been ever since.” 

”What about your father?” 

”Soldier who died while on duty so I never met him.” Serena frowned before lifting her head to nod towards a picture. ”That’s the only picture I have of him. He was thirty-four years of age when he was killed.” Cullen looked towards the picture and then back towards Serena and saw the uncanny family resemblance. ”I have no pictures of my mother. But the older woman up there near the picture of my father is my grandmother, my mother’s mother.” Cullen looked towards the indicated picture before looking back towards Serena and back again. 

”You look more like your grandmother then your father.” He observed as she smiled with a slight laugh.

”People in this world say that children often look like the parent or grandparent they most need in their lives.” Serena stood before walking back towards the kitchen. When she returned, she held out a bowl to him and he took it gingerly after setting her books and the boxes down on the nearby table. She disappeared again but soon reappeared to sit down in a nearby chair where he swiftly noted something that suspiciously looked like a chess set. ”It was my Grandfather’s chess set.” She explained as he raised a brow. ”Before you ask, I used to play but it’s been a while so my skills are rusty but I wasn’t a very good player to begin with.” 

”We could play a game sometime,” He offered as she chuckled. 

”Oh no, I know better than to even think of attempting to play a game against you. You would hand me my ass on a silver platter.” She smiled as he laughed. They spoke a little more while they ate, then, after she put the empty dishes away in the sink, she disappeared up the stairs to fix up a bed for him in one of the three spare rooms and then reappeared to lead him to the room he would be staying in. ”I’ll be up early, likely earlier than you, and will search through all of my other books to see if I can’t find a way to get you back to Thedas.” She promised him before leading him across the way to the bathroom and told him how everything in there worked. ”...I put some clean towels in here for you in case you wanted to shower tonight or in the morning,” She then motioned to the end of the hallway, ”My room is at the end of the hall. I usually leave the door unlocked but close it at night so if you need anything just knock and if I’m not already asleep I will tell you to enter.” She watched him nod and smiled. ”I’m going to head back downstairs to make sure the fire goes out safely. I will see you in the morning, Ser Rutherford.” With that, she left him alone as he looked towards the bathroom before deciding to head to his room and close the door so he could lay down for the night.

As he laid down, Serena stood near the fireplace and watched the burning embers as they slowly died down to safe levels before pouring a bit of water into the bucket she used for the ashes and swiftly cleaned out the fireplace as she poured more water onto the ashes and covered the mixture up before setting it aside. Looking up towards the stairs, Serena closes her eyes again and opened them again with a shake of her head before she turned off all the lights, locked the doors and headed up to her room where she didn’t bother to even remove her clothes before collapsing into her bed and passing out to await the asscrack of dawn.


	2. One

Serena was looking through her books on one of her bookshelves when she heard who she knew to be Cullen stirring up the stairs. Smiling she left her shelf to go check on breakfast and nodded as she saw that it was close to being ready, walking over to her fridge, she pulled out some fruits to cut up or place in a bowl and set them at the table before she went over to the stove to stir up the oatmeal she had cooking. She heard Cullen coming down the stairs and smiled as she looked up to see him approaching the kitchen. "Morning," she greeted him as he looked around to see that she was just finishing up making breakfast. She motioned towards the table and spoke, "Take a seat, breakfast is almost finished." She told him as he swiftly did so and he took note of the assortment of fruits she had placed on the table before he could inquire about the fruit she soon set a bowl in front of him and told him about the reason behind the fruits before she turned away to make what he assumed to be tea. 

"You're not going to eat?" he inquired as she shook her head. 

"I have to work in a couple of hours so I..." She trailed off as her phone vibrated on the counter. Frowning, Serena slid her finger across the screen of the phone and put it on speak. "Yeah Jake?"

_"Have anything you absolutely need from the shop?"_

Serena was quiet for a moment, "Not that I can think of. Why?"

_"Because I am closing it up for the weekend. Nobody is stupid enough to be out and about with a blizzard on the way."_

"I am!" Serena protested as the person on the other end (from what Cullen could assume was her friend) laughed.

_"Yes well, **YOU** also have a wild streak thats three miles wide and four miles long. People are used to you doing strange ass things around here by now and those that aren't are people on vacation."_

"Who find me to be completely and utterly batshit insane for living on a mountain by myself while also tending to walk around in a dark forest in the middle of the night," Cullen had to silently agree with that part but he was also very thankful that she had been doing exactly that when she had found him. 

_"True. Anyways, if you don't need anything from the shop then I'm going to lock it up for the weekend, also my mom is on her way to your place."_

"Why?" Serena inquired as she took a drink from her tea. When her friend took his time to answer, she rolled her eyes and Cullen fought against a laugh at her unamused expression. 

_"She said something about sensing some magical disturbance or something along those lines. I don't remember I was checking over the stock."_

"Mmn! That does remind me."

_"Yes?"_

"Order more cherry wood, you asswipe," Cullen about choked on his drink which earned a worried look from her despite the fact that he waved her off as he struggled to not laugh.

 _"I will,"_ Jake responded as Serena smiled.

"Good because if I walk in on Tuesday and find that you didn't I will hunt you down and kick your ass from here to hell and back," Cullen watched Serena as she and her friend finished there conversation before hanging up and she sighed. "Some days I swear he does that shit just to irritate me. I do have to apologize though, I didn't mean to almost make you choke on your drink."

"It's fine, I've had worse happen." Cullen smiled back towards her as she returned it. 

"Well since I don't have to work, I guess that means I can remain for a while longer to answer any questions you still have before I head to town to do some shopping," She told him as he thought that over for a moment. As she stood she went to prepare herself a bowl for her breakfast and they spoke as they ate. After they finished and what was left over was put away, Cullen found himself sitting in the same spot as the night before and relaxing as he peppered Serena with questions after the fire was lit once more and of course the first question he had to ask was about magic. "Mmn, magic in this world works completely differently to the magic of Thedas."

"Does it?" Cullen inquired as Serena nodded. 

"When you woke up this morning you noticed that you were well rested with no nightmares correct?" When Cullen nodded, Serena smiled. "That's because in this world, there is no Fade. Yes we have a Veil, but it only works to keep magic hidden from the rest of the world. Demons here don't serve the same purposes as demons on Thedas. Magic itself however..."

"...Is just as unique to each and every person as they are to the world," Both Cullen and Serena yelped out in surprise as the newest voice spoke up.  "Forgive me for startling you both," A woman with long flowing silvery hair smiled softly as she walked into the living room. Cullen looked to the woman to note the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth and could rightly assume that it was from her many years of smiling and laughing. Her long silvery hair was allowed to flow free with some of it being tied back into a braid and she was roughly his height from what he could gather just by looking at her. The outfit she wore was meant to keep her warm, but was still a dress like outfit. 

"High-Priestess Evelyn," Serena greeted the older woman who huffed and waved the title off. 

"Come now child, you've known me just as long as I have known you. I've known your grandmother for years as well. You can call me Aunt Eve," The woman smiled tenderly towards.

"But I don't think..."

"Even if you have guests child, you can call me your aunt even though we are not related by blood."

"I...alright," Serena turned to Cullen then. "Cullen this is Evelyn Sacredsong, High-priestess of the local Coven and matriarch to the Sacredsong family and by extension of knowing my grandmother, my aunt in a way," Serena introduced the woman who looked to Cullen and nodded her head to him. "Aunt Eve this is Cullen Rutherford," But when Serena went to explain more, the older woman held up a hand to stop her. 

"I know who he is child," She told Serena who grew silent. "I would not have come if I had not felt the disturbance that brought him here," Turning to looked at Serena she smiled, "Go to town and do what you need. I will answer his questions."

"But.."

"Shoo, all will be well."

"I...alright." Serena knew better then to try and argue with the elder and so turned to Cullen with an apologetic look. "Sorry to just leave you like this, but even I won't argue with one of the elders." 

"It's fine," Cullen told her as he met her sapphire eyes. "I will await for your return patiently." He told her as Serena nodded before watching her walk over to where her cloak was hanging up. he watched her throw it on and then she looked back at him with another smile before she walked out of the house to disappear to town. 

Evelyn, however, noticed the worried look he gave Serena's back and smiled once more. "You're worried about her."

"Pardon?" Cullen turned to the Elder who was smiling softly as she sat down in one of the chairs. 

"You're worried about her," She nodded towards the door where Serena had disappeared, "Which tells me that she's told you that she was an ill child when she was growing up." 

"She made mention of it," Cullen nodded as Evelyn looked to her hands briefly. 

"What all did she tell you?"

"That she had trouble breathing and has panic attacks."

"Serena never did like to speak of her symptoms," The woman looked up at him then and shook her head. "Serena is a special kind of young woman. Her illness is not of physical origin, though it contributes to the physical illness she had growing up, at least until she came to live here."

"What do you mean?"

"Serena is a child born to nature magic, being in cities made of stone and concrete hurts her, both physically if she stays for an extended amount of time and spiritually if she stays for a year or more," Cullen wasn't really able to connect the dots on that one and Evelyn turned back to him. "You met Serena when she was out walking around last night, correct?" Cullen nodded. "Those bound to nature tend to do what many consider strange acts and each has some little quirk about them that sets them apart from the others. Serena's quirk is her love of walking around the forest at sunset and late into the night as that is when she feels most a peace with herself and those around her, she is also a lover of animals and isn't very fond of too much human interaction." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Serena isn't a people person. The town below us is the only exception to the that rule as everyone down there and in the other cabins scattered through the mountain are a tight knit group. We take care of each other and protect each other, and nothing happens without one of us finding out."

"Is that how you..."

"No. I _**FELT**_ the magical disturbance that brought you here, that is why I came. I know Serena wouldn't have brought you to her home if she felt that you were a danger to her person, she wouldn't have been allowed to as there is a pack of wolves that are around here and all members of the pack are fiercely protective of her. No, I came to inform you that what has brought you here will not return you to your world."

"What?" Cullen felt his heart dropping at those words.

"I am sorry, Commander, but this is the truth. The magical anomaly that brought you to this world will not happen again for another three hundred years."

"By that time I will be long gone," He sighed as he wondered what he was supposed to do now. 

"That is true, but tell me," Evelyn watched him look up to her with sadness in his eyes. "The Inquisition. How far along were all of you?"

"it has been disbanded. I retired from active service and no longer take lyrium."

"Then maybe you should consider yourself rewarded by the one you call "The Maker"," Evelyn suggested as Cullen looked to her in wonder now.

"Why?"

"Anyone who knows of Thedas through the books," Evelyn nodded towards the bookshelves, "or the games, knows of your actions and the path you walked for the longest time and the redemption you sought during the Inquisition. Serena, however," Evelyn smiled at him. "Is different then most who've heard your tale, but you will come to discover that in time. For now, though, Let me welcome you to Earth and tell you of what to expect while you reside with Serena..." With that Evelyn stood and walked into the kitchen to prepare some tea while the two spoke as they waited for Serena to return.


	3. Two

As night fell over the lands once more, Serena was looking at Cullen to see that the man was lost deep in thought and wondered if he was alright, "Cullen?" She asked softly as he turned his golden gaze towards her, "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine. Just...thinking is all," He responded as he looked into her worried sapphire eyes. 

"Is it about what Evelyn said?" He nodded to her question and she walked up to stand near him. "I can still try."

"What do you mean?"

"To find you a way back to your home."

"But Evelyn said," He started as Serena shook her head. 

"I know what she said, she told me. But just because one door closes doesn't mean that another one can't open," Serena told him as he watched her with wonder. 

"I wouldn't want you to waste your time or effort on someone like me." 

"It wouldn't be a waste of either of those," Serena turned to look out the window where the blizzard outside of her cabin was howling like a banshee.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because you would do the same for me." 

Cullen could not argue that point as he knew he would. He knew damn good and well that if their roles were reversed, he would be doing **_EVERYTHING_** within his power as a normal man, he would use every resource he had, to find Serena a way back to this world if she had arrived on Thedas the way he had here and now, some part of him admired her for her it. "What if there is no way?"

"I will look and look until I am sure that there is no way to send you back," She told him as he studied her before looking outside again as well and suddenly he found himself fighting off the strange need to take her in his arms and kiss her. 

 _She would make someone an excellent wife one day,_ He thought as they stood watching the blizzard snarl and tear its way through the trees. 

"I'll get dinner started," She said as she turned to leave his side, which caused him to feel strangely alone as he watched her disappear into the kitchen. Frowning he shook his head before walking away from the window to sit down and look at the thing she had called a television and wondered why it wasn't on until he remembered that she had stated that the blizzard was likely going to cause a power outage and so wanted to keep as many electronics off as possible.

Cullen looked once more to her Grandfather's untouched chess set and frowned,  _Surely he wouldn't have wanted her to keep it untouched._ "Serena?"

"Yes?" She poked her head around the doorway and he smiled. 

"I know I asked this before, but would you care to play a game of chess?" he asked with hopefulness sounding in his voice and she sighed. 

"After dinner," She told him as he couldn't help but smile in victory at that. After they had eaten and the dishes were done, Serena carefully moved the chess set over to were it would sit between Cullen and her and they began to set up the board and once it was set up, Serena motioned for Cullen to make a move. "Your move Commander." She smirked as he chuckled before he moved a piece. They spoke on just little things before Serena realized that he would likely need something to do so he wouldn't get bored, but before she could bring it up he spoke quickly.

"Would it bother you for me to ask if there is anything I can do around here?"

"If you mean like a job I was actually just thinking about that."

"Oh?" he watched her move a pawn and wondered what her strategy was.

"Indeed. I came to just realize that someone like you might not enjoy sitting around and doing nothing all day, but I am not sure what all you would be interested in doing."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a woodworker, I create things from wood. Sometimes for customers, sometimes just random things. But all of it is done in Jake's shop, or well one of his two shops as he owns both the woodworker's building _AND_ a blacksmith's shop in town."

"I've done some woodworking but that hasn't been for years so my skills will likely be rusty."

"Wouldn't bother us. Jake would be willing to give you sometime to get used to the skills again, and with him knowing me like he does, he would also be willing to give you a chance," Serena told Cullen as he moved a piece and saw her swiftly respond with a move of her own. "We would need to get you some new clothes though, the oils we use in the shop stain like no other and are a pain in the ass to wash out. But we can do that Monday as I need to head to town again anyways." Cullen was perfectly fine with that and they returned to talking about little things before she threw up her hands as he beat her. "I told you!" She smiled as he laughed. "I know better then to play with someone who can, and just did, hand me my ass on a silver platter!" She huffed out playfully as Cullen continued to laugh, earning a pillow being thrown at his head, which he easily caught. "Ass."

"Better luck next time," he told her as she shook her head as they began to put the chest set away, but their hands accidentally brushed up against each other as both reached for a piece and suddenly both were blushing as they looked to the other before turning away with Serena pulling away quickly as her blush burned brightly. 

"You can...um... finish putting the chess set away, I'm...I'm going to go make some tea..." With that Serena stood up and scurried away as Cullen took in a deep breath. He knew that neither had meant for that too happen, but it had and suddenly he found himself chastising himself for an accidental touch. Once she came back, she set a mug down for him and quickly took a seat near her computer to turn it on before turning on her television with him watching. 

"What are you doing?" Cullen asked as she smiled. 

"Just something I remembered I need to finish drawing," She told him as she swiftly signed into her computer and made sure to connect the monitor to the TV. Cullen watched as she turned the TV on and soon was watching as she pulled up a few things and  moved them around accordingly. Suddenly she reached over and turned something before Cullen heard what sounded like music coming from the things on either side of her monitor and then he watched as she plugged in something else before she began her work with his attention turning to the TV screen and he watched in amazement as the partly done drawing she had pulled up soon began to be worked on. He watched as she fixed a few things, before she drew over the picture for the final product and then he watched as she began to color it in. He watched all of what she was doing with amazement and smiled as he saw it come together. He was amazed to see that the picture was that of some kind of dragon, of which there were two, both of whom where in flight over the land, as what Cullen figured to be the riders upon their backs watching the sky and land pass by below and around them. He saw that one of the dragon like creatures was white with blue frills and wing membranes, while the other was gold with brown markings and red frills and brown and wing membranes and while the dragons themselves were magnificent to look at it was the riders who drew his attention. The first rider, the one that was on the white and blue dragon was female and Serena was adding the finishing touches on the rider who was leaning forward to hold onto some spikes and was, not surprisingly, riding the great beast without a saddle; the other rider, however was a bit further away but he could tell it was a male from the build despite the fact that the dragon was further away from the white and blue one and its rider. Cullen watched as she finished coloring in the background and soon watched as she saved it and then turned to her. 

”Where is this from?” he inquired as Serena shrugged. 

”Not sure. It just came to me.” She told him as she finished doing what she needed to before shutting the TV off and shut down her computer. Getting up, Serena took her mug and his to the kitchen to wash them out and set them beside the sink. She heard him get up and looked over to see him standing and stretching out his arms and back muscles. Turning away swiftly, Serena snapped at herself mentally to get a grip on herself and then shook her head before heading out to the living room where, as she often liked to joke about it being a family talent, she tripped on the rug as she made to pass him and suddenly felt his arms wrap around her as he magically appeared next to her. 

”Are you alright?” His voice carried a note of worry and she found herself blushing something fierce as she realized just how close they were to each other at that moment.

”I’ll be fine,” she told him as he watched her for a moment before allowing her to stand on her own.

”Why don’t I tend to the fire tonight. You were up earlier than I was,” Cullen told her as she went to protest the thought. ”Please?”

Serena couldn’t argue with someone who said the magic word of ”please” and so sighed before deciding that it would likely make him feel better about staying in her home. ”Alright,” She agreed before telling him what she did with the ashes. She watched him nod and soon headed up the stairs and went into her room where she decided to dress quickly in her night-time clothes and soon crawled into bed where she promptly passed out. 

****

Monday came quicker than either Serena or Cullen could have liked but both found themselves in the nearby town, where Serena was speaking with a friend of hers who eyed Cullen carefully. ”I’ll see what I can find for him. Need his measurements first though.” Cullen didn’t like the thought of that but, nevertheless, allowed himself to strip down to just his pants and boots in a select area of the store so the person who Serena had claimed as a friend could get his measurements, of course, that meant Serena (who Cullen had noted had walked away to look at some things) came back to see what the two were up to and had stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing him shirtless. 

 _Holy shit!_  Serena froze as suddenly both men turned to see her standing there before she managed to say something to swiftly excuse herself as she also realized that she had just said that out loud. Serena felt her face light up a bright ass red with her ears following suit as she swiftly stepped outside but it wasn’t from the cold. _Stars above that man is ripped!_ Serena thought to herself as she felt the blush on her cheeks grow bright as the image of seeing Cullen half naked replayed itself in her mind. Pray that doesn't happen again, Serena, or you're fucked, literally. She forced herself to take a breath of the icy cold air and felt the stinging sensation it left as she inhaled while her eyes closed. Forcing herself to erase that image from her mind (which was unsuccessful as some little gobliny part of her brain snatched up the picture and ran away with it while cackling the word ”mine” like a maniac), only to reopen her eyes to see Cullen approaching as he held a couple of bags in his hand. ”Got everything?” she inquired hoping against hope that he would mistake the red on her face as from being out in the cold. After he nodded she motioned toward her truck and he swiftly put the bags in the backseat, while she awaited him. ”I have one more place to visit and then we can head over to the store.” she swiftly informed him as he nodded. ”And how in the fuck are you not cold?” she inquired as he smirked. 

”Fereldan born. I don’t feel the cold as much as you do.” 

She made a small disbelieving noise then, ”Fucking Fereldans and their hot-blooded...” she trailed off as she continued to mumble under her breath and Cullen only chuckled at her irritation. ”Oh fuck you,” she responded as he laughed heartily now. She huffed in irritation as she yanked up the hood of her cloak and walked away with him close behind. For a while, as they walked they allowed silence to settle over them, but then Cullen called out to Serena, who was looking down at her shopping list instead of paying attention to where she was going. 

”Serena look out!” 

”What-OOMFP!” 

”Watch where you’re-Sen?!” the person that Serena had run into swiftly asked as she looked up to see the face of a man she **_NEVER_ **wanted to see again. 

”Oh. It’s you,” She said managing to scowl before leaning down to pick up her list from the ground. 

”Sen don’t-!” 

”Don’t what and I’ve told you before: _**STOP**_ calling me that idiotic pet name, Maximilian.” Serena snarled at the man as he frowned while Cullen watched in silence. ”And what the hell are you doing back in town? Looking for another heart to break I take it?” 

”I came back to try to get you back,” The man looked at her with pleading eyes and Cullen watched as Serena’s own eyes narrowed dangerously. 

”After the bullshit you pulled, you just expect me to take you back with open arms?” Serena shook her head then. ”Go fuck yourself and the horse you rode in on! Don’t you dare fucking touch me you insolent pig of a-!” Serena snapped at him before she witnessed Cullen grip the man’s wrist as Cullen felt himself react accordingly.

Golden honey eyes met dirt brown and a staring contest began between the two men before Cullen spoke. ”She told you to not touch her.”

”And who the fuck do you think you are, bitchboy?” Maximilian snarled at Cullen.

”A proper gentleman who has no issues with breaking your wrists if you dare touch her again.” Cullen returned the snarl with a look that Serena recognized as possibly one of the most terrifying looks a person could get from the former Commander, and while part of her just wanted to watch Maximilian get his ass handed to him, she also wasn’t in the mood to bail Cullen’s ass out of prison and so stepped closer to the former Commander to touch his arm gently causing both men to look at her.

”He’s not worth it Cullen,” She told the ex-Commander softly. ”He will get what’s coming to him soon enough. There is no need to waste your energy on him.” Cullen gave her a thoughtful look before pulling away from Maximilian and stepping closer to her.

Max looked towards Serena with a scowl, "You're making a mistake, Sen."

"No, Max, I'm not. It is you who is making a mistake. Go back to the city and leave me alone," She told him as she pulled the hood of her cloak back up. Once she and Cullen were out of Maximilian's sight, she felt Cullen place a hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at him before he pulled her close gently and held her in a hug for a few moments. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him and allowed him to hold her while her thoughts turned from the confrontation between her and Max to the fact that Cullen really did have a protective streak a mile long and just as wide. Once she was one hundred percent sure that she wasn't going to full on break down in front of the man who held her, she pulled away and looked into his golden eyes. "Thank you," She told him as he nodded. 

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine. I just... wasn't expecting to see him again especially not after..." Serena closed her eyes before she felt Cullen place a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently before they both decided to try and refocus on the task at hand which was to get Cullen a job and for them to get to the store, where he managed to lighten her mood. 


	4. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally planned for this to be NSFW but Cullen and Serena decided on it being not this chapter. Enjoy anyways.

Winter had finally given way to spring which meant that work was finally picking up again, and Serena found herself smiling as she watched Cullen speaking and joking around with Jake, before she shook her head and returned to her lunch as Cullen came to sit across from her to begin eating his own lunch. "I'm glad to see that you two are getting along so well," Serena smiled as Cullen chucked quietly to himself. 

"Is it that rare?"

"No, he just has few friends," Serena told him before smiling, "The people who want to call me anti-social haven't met him. I think out of everyone I know, he's the most anti-social of us all."

"And you're not?"

"I just don't like people," Serena shook her head. "Eat, before the bugs get to your food." She told Cullen who threw a napkin at her earning a laugh from her. In the four months that Cullen had been on earth, it had been noted by everyone but Serena and Cullen that Serena was actually opening up more and was more willing to tease the ex-Commander, which he returned with teasing of his own. "Hey now!" She laughed as Cullen chuckled warmly as she scooped up the napkin and threw it back at him only to watch as he caught it easily. As they talked and teased each other, neither Serena nor Cullen noticed that Evelyn and Jake were watching the two with smiles. 

"This is the happiest I've ever seen her in a long time," Jake commented as his mother continued to watch the two.

"He is good for her, and her for him. It really doesn't surprise me that the gods of this world and the Maker of his decided that this is what they both needed." 

"So they really did decide to bring him here? Why?"

"Because he's found his redemption. There is nothing more for him to do on Thedas that others will not already be doing. Being here, he can truly be happy and in turn, Serena can too."

"I'm going out on a limb here and going to say that Serena was meant just for him?"

"She was," Evelyn nodded. "Serena and Cullen were always meant to be.” 

Before long Serena and Cullen eventually finished their meal and went back into the shop to continue working on their separate projects, Serena on a desk that was specially requested from a customer in need of one and Cullen on a chair to go with one of the tables already out in the storefront. Even though they worked on opposite ends of the room, Cullen could help but sneak a few glances over at Serena and smirked. Like the last few hundred times he had snuck a look over towards her, he saw the familiar sight of Serena lost in deep concentration. He saw her brows pulled together as she worked meticulously on a single piece of the desk, he could see how she had just the slightest frown as she studied the wood she worked with and inwardly shook his head. Serena, however, would chance a glance at him once she was sure he wasn’t looking and would swiftly return to her work as she inwardly smiled. She would often chance glances at him only when she knew he wasn't looking and would catch him in his usual ”commander” demeanor with a straight face and calculating mind whenever he was working with the wood and it made her heart flutter at that moment to see that look on his face as he worked with the oak that he had specifically requested. Shaking her head as she scolded herself, Serena returned to her work and was soon adding the finishing touches to her project when she noticed that Cullen was gone and figured him to likely either be clocking out or called away by Jake. As it would be the latter was correct as Cullen and Jake were watching Serena add the finishing touches to the desk. "You care about her don't you?"

"Pardon?" Cullen turned to Jake who was smiling before the man nodded towards Serena.

"You care about her, more then what anyone I've ever seen has," Jake pointed out.

"Well, I....She... I do care for her, she has been a...." Cullen was suddenly nervous and it showed in the fact that he rubbed the back of his neck and Jake smiled.

"It's alright Rutherford, She cares for you as much as you care for her," Jake watched as Cullen frowned for a moment, "Maybe even a little more so."

"I don't see why should would, I'm more then likely just a burden to her."

"I don't think you are, I know Serena. Known her for years actually as we met as children. If she believed you to be a burden then you would know it," Jake smiled at the other man looked back towards him. 

"Really?" Cullen asked as Jake nodded.

"Indeed. Ever since you came around a lot of us have noticed that she is actually smiling more, laughing more, just more open in general and she hasn't been that way in years," Jake smiled as he shook his head. "You're good for her and from what I have seen she is good for you too. But that's just my observation," Jake told him before standing and stretching. "For the next week you two don't need to come in as I will be heading to my own sister's wedding off in some forsaken place with too much heat for its own good. Oh, and take a bit of advice?” 

Cullen looked over at the man, ”Hmn?” 

”Take Serena out for a walk tonight. Tonight is a special night,” when Cullen went to ask Jake smiled. ”Shooting stars, their some of Serena’s favorite things to see.” was all the Jake said as he left his office to speak with Serena about where he was going. Cullen watched Serena nod and soon turned to clock out for the day with her following not long after and soon they headed back to her home where they spent the rest of the day relaxing with Cullen taking a quick shower and then passing out in a nap while Serena went to her garage (after she changed into some jeans and a tank-top) to work on her motorcycle that had been sitting in there all winter. After a while, however, Cullen went out to speak with her and watched her with a slight smirk. 

She was so absorbed in doing what she was that it gave the former Commander time to actually look her over and he discovered that she was somehow even MORE beautiful when she was working on something. But as time passed and the longer he spent with her, the more he felt his attraction to her grow and right now he wanted nothing more than to act on the fantasy that was rolling around in his mind of him taking her right against the wall nearest to her. Hell, there were images of him taking her on the floor before the hearth, of her riding him while they sat on the couch, even of them entering sweet bliss during a moonlit night in an open field while the moon and stars kissed her flushed skin while he claimed her for himself. Mentally shaking those thoughts away he spoke swiftly then while not realizing that one of his many fantasies was about to come true. ”Serena?”

”Yes?” she looked up from what she was doing to see him leaning against the door and she felt heat roll through her at seeing the barest hint of him being aroused in both his eyes and at his pants, though she was expertly hiding the fact that she had noticed it. 

”If it’s not too much for me to ask, but would you mind coming on a walk with me?” He inquired as she thought about it. 

”It’s not too much at all, I’ve actually been meaning to go for a walk around the forest for sometime now so, of course, I would love too,” she nodded as he smiled and went to prepare for their walk where his fantasy of claiming her for his own was only mere hours away without him realizing it. 

****

Serena and Cullen walked through the forest with her telling him everything she knew about it. Such as how to tell where he was in the forest at all times, how to identify and avoid the plant known as Poison Ivy and several other things before the came to a spot where they soon laid out a blanket to sit upon as they stopped to watch the meteors as they flew by. But Cullen’s attention wasn’t on the ”shooting stars” no, his attention was all on Serena who was made almost goddess-like in the gentle light of the moon as it kissed her pale skin. ”Serena?” he started as she turned to look over at him and he swore his heart stopped at that moment. ”I’ve been wanting to... Ah... Tell you something for a while...” he went to rub his neck and she tilted her head slightly. 

”What is it, Cullen?” she asked as he forced himself to tell her how he was feeling for her. 

”...But if you don’t feel the same...” 

Suddenly he felt her hand on his cheek and he looked up at her to see her smiling, ”How long have you been wanting to tell me that?”

”Probably longer then I should admit to,” he smiled in return as she chuckled softly. Before he suddenly felt brave enough to lean forward and kiss her. At first, it was a sweet, gentle, kiss but soon grew in need as he somehow found himself on top of her and both moaned as he felt her heat through his pants while she felt his hard member rubbing against her center. Soon he tried to pull away to try and apologize but she stopped him.

”Don’t apologize for something that is completely natural,” she told him softly. 

”But I don’t want this to be just a one-time thing for us.” he frowned as she shook her head. 

”I doubt that you would let it be just a one-time thing, Cullen.” she told him as she pulled him close and kissed him, once more stirring up his passions. ”besides, last I heard, a lion like you isn’t fond of sharing what belongs to you.” she told him as she heard a rumbling sound escape him. 

”You think of me as a lion?” he inquired as she smirked. 

"And why not? You are referred to as ”The Lion of Ferelden” by many people.” 

Cullen growled low then, ”Then you would be right, I don’t share what is mine. But I’m also intent on taking only one lioness and right now, you fit that description very well.” he growled low before he claimed her lips. Serena moaned softly into his mouth as he used his tongue to beg for entrance into her mouth and she willingly gave him what he wanted as she felt his member return to being out of reach of her center. When he pulled away this time it was to see that she was just as aroused as he was and he shivered. ”You don’t know how badly I want to take you right now,” He told her as she felt one of his hands slide along her side. ”How badly I want to watch you writhe under me as I cause you to beg and plead with me to take you right here, right now.” 

”Cullen...” she whined as his eyes flashed with an almost animalistic look in them. ”If you want to take me so badly...” she fought back another moan as he kissed her deeply once more. ”Then...take me...” she told him as he growled. 

”Are you sure?” he asked as he struggled to contain himself.” Once I claim you for myself, there will be no going back. You will belong to me for the rest of our lives.” He told her as he reminded her of the words that Evelyn had forewarned them both of some time ago which was roughly a week before where she had told them both that someone like Serena needed a ”mate” who would care for her and be willing to care for her for the rest of their lives as she would be forever be bound to that single person. 

”I don’t want it any other way,” She told him as Cullen closed his eyes for a few moments. ”I want you, Cullen, and no one else.” 

"Then you shall have me,” he told her as he soon kissed her deeper then he had before. It would be easy for him to take her right then and there but he forced himself to pull away, forced himself to rein in his need to claim her for himself. "But not here. When we get home. I promise." he whispered softly as she looked into his golden eyes to see the gentlest and most loving gaze he could somehow muster lingering there before he sat up and helped her to sit up before they returned to watching the night sky as it lit up with the comets and things passing by. When they got home, however, Cullen kept his promise and that night saw them bonded to each other for the rest of their natural lives.


End file.
